Why Another Simpsons Movie Won't Be Happening For A While

The Simpsons Movie wound up being a huge hit when it came out back in 2007, but if you're hoping to see a sequel any time soon, you may be disappointed. This is because there are no plans to make another film until the series comes to end, as the whole production is simply too much of a distraction from the show.

With The Simpsons about to head into its 27th season on the air, Variety recently had the chance to sit down with Executive Producer Al Jean, and a discussion was had about the prospects for another Simpsons Movie to happen. And while Jean surely understands that there is a demand to see a sequel, he says that it's not really feasible to do until The Simpsons is off the air. He explained,

The movie was such a time-intensive operation, it pulled a lot away from the show. I would rather end the show whenever that happens before doing another movie. It’s unlikely there’ll be another Simpsons feature while the show is being produced.

This means that The Simpsons Movie 2 won't be coming for at least two more years. Last month it was reported that the long-running series not only signed a deal to return to Fox for a 27th season, but also for a 28th that will span 2016-2017. This is despite the fact that it looks like The Simpsons will be losing Harry Shearer as a member of the voice cast.

When it came out in December of 2007, The Simpsons Movie wound up being a sizable hit, pulling in $74 million in its opening weekend. By the end of its run in theaters, the film wound up making over $527 million, which was quite impressive given the feature's $75 million budget. One can imagine that the folks at 20th Century Fox would be more than happy if the folks behind The Simpsons would get to work on another feature film, but for now it doesn't look like they're really up for it.

At the very least, Al Jean and the other Simpsons heads need to get something done before 2027, or they're going to turn Bart Simpson into a liar:

Would you prefer to see The Simpsons get another movie before or after the show comes to an end? Answer our poll below, and hit the comments with your thoughts.